Household Predictors Research Articles

Familial determinants of body mass index in Colombian 5–18 year old children

Family socioeconomic status (SES), structure, and parental behaviors have been identified as important determinants of children's body mass index (BMI) in developed countries; however the role of these factors in other settings is not clear. We examined the role of family and household characteristics on BMI among 4,484 children 5 to 18 years measured in the 2005 Colombian Nutrition Survey 2005. We used 2‐ level hierarchical linear models with family as level 2, child as level 1, and BMI (continuous) as outcome. The family level explained 20% of variability in BMI. SES (difference 0.4 kg/m2in highest WI quintile vs. lowest), and caregiver education (0.02 kg/m2 per year of schooling) and overweight (0.5 kg/m2vs. normal) and obesity (1.3 kg/m2vs. normal) were positively associated with child BMI (all p<0.01). While living in an extended family was associated with 0.3 kg/m2increase in BMI, the number of family members was inversely associated with BMI (−0.1 kg/m2 per member). The association between parental weight status and child BMI is similar to that described in developed countries; however, the positive relationship between SES (WI and education) and BMI differs from developed country settings. This study identified important family and household predictors of BMI in Colombian children.

Metropolitan influences on migration into poor and nonpoor neighborhoods

Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and three decennial US censuses are used to examine the influence of metropolitan-area characteristics on black and white households’ propensity to move into poor versus nonpoor neighborhoods. We find that a nontrivial portion of the variance in the odds of moving to a poor rather to a nonpoor neighborhood exists between metropolitan areas. Net of established individual-level predictors of inter-neighborhood migration, black and white households are more likely to move to a poor or extremely poor tract rather than to a nonpoor tract in metropolitan areas containing many poor neighborhoods and a paucity of recently-built housing in nonpoor areas. Blacks are especially likely to move to a poor tract in metropolitan areas characterized by high levels of racial residential segregation and in which poor tracts have a sizeable concentration of blacks. White households are more likely to move to a poor than to a nonpoor tract in metropolitan areas that have comparatively few African Americans.

Financial services consumption constraints: Empirical evidence from Rwandan rural households

The concentration of banking and financial institutions in the city and/or urban in any developing countries in general, Rwanda in particular creates various constraints in availing and consuming different financial products and services by the rural households. The article examines the forms and determinants of credit constraint status of rural households of Rwanda and the impact of constraints variables on availing and using the range of financial products and services. The study concludes that 42.5 per cent of the Rwandan rural households surveyed face triple forms of credit constraints including self-imposed constraints, quantity rationing and risk rationing by formal financial institutions. However, quantity rationing is perhaps not as pervasive as self-imposed rationing and risk rationing by the lenders. The results from the empirically tested model revealed that in addition to demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of households, the variables constraining demand and/or supply of financial services with reference to accessibility were significant predictors of households' credit constraints. The study informs on the needs for innovative systems, products and services that would increase access relax credit constraints and improve rural consumers' welfare. The authors conclude that establishing an enabling legal and regulatory environment, providing adequate public goods and physical infrastructure, designing capacity building and technical assistance programs and maintaining political and macroeconomic stability are perhaps major public and policy issues needed for a robust rural financial market.

Effects of tenure and land use factors on food security among rural households in the dry Savannas of Nigeria

Defining food security in terms of availability and access to sufficient food to meet dietary needs for a productive and healthy life, this paper assessed the effects of property rights to land on household food security in the Savanna zone of northern Nigeria. The paper analyzed household expenditure profile, examined households’ tenure and land use factors, determined the effect of these factors on household foodsecurity status, and predicted/classified households into food security groups based on these factors. Primary data were generated from a cross-section of 180 farming households during the 2006/2007 production season, using pre-tested structured questionnaire. Data were collected on tenure and land use characteristics, input-outputrelationships, cropping patterns, land improvement techniques, and on household expenditure and income. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were also conducted. Secondary data were obtained from Local Government secretariats and the National Population Commission. Data were analyzed using descriptivestatistics, probit regression and discriminant techniques. Results showed that the customary tenure arrangement is the most important way by which farm households gain access and manage land in the zone. On the average, households cultivated less than two hectares of land with less than two years of fallow. Inorganic fertilizer was the most commonly used land improvement technique by all households, but at rates below recommended dosage due to scarcity and high cost. Only 25% of the households were categorized as food secure and 75% as food insecure. Expenditure on food accounted for over 30% of total expenditure and was significantly higher for the food secure households. Probit estimates revealed that age, farm size, use of land improvement techniques, membership of association, and access to extension service were significant determinants of households’ food security options, while these factors except age were identified as the most powerful discriminators and predictors of household’s food security options using discriminant analysis, with 92.7% of the sampled households correctly and satisfactorily classified. This suggests thatmeaningful land intensification through proper management and effective extension service is the likely development pathway in the study area. In addition, the classification of households can support policy making strategies that target specific groups for government and non-government programme implementation.

Improvement in work place and household productivity for patients with early rheumatoid arthritis treated with adalimumab plus methotrexate: Work outcomes and their correlations with clinical and radiographic measures from a randomized controlled trial companion study

To evaluate household and work place outcomes for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were homemakers or employed workers, respectively, and who were treated with adalimumab plus methotrexate versus methotrexate monotherapy. We also determined baseline predictors of household and work place outcomes. Data were from a health economic companion study to PREMIER, a 2-year, randomized controlled trial of methotrexate-naive patients with early RA (<3 years) who received treatment with adalimumab plus methotrexate, adalimumab, or methotrexate. Absenteeism (number of days missed or unfit to work), presenteeism (self-judgment of the effects of RA on job or household performance), and employment status were collected from self-reports at baseline and varying time points during the study. Household and work place outcomes were generally similar for homemakers and employed workers. Over 2 years, patients who received combination therapy missed approximately half as many days as patients who received methotrexate (17.4 versus 36.9 days for employed workers; 7.9 versus 18.6 days for homemakers). Presenteeism was lower (reflecting better productivity) for combination therapy than methotrexate monotherapy. The likelihood of gaining/retaining employment over 2 years was greater for combination therapy than methotrexate monotherapy (odds ratio 1.530, 95% confidence interval 1.038-2.255; P = 0.0318). Baseline radiographic progression was an independent predictor for retaining/gaining employment at 2 years. Compared with methotrexate monotherapy, combination therapy was associated with more positive work outcomes: less absenteeism, less presenteeism, and greater likelihood of gaining/retaining employment. Radiographic progression at baseline was predictive of the ability to retain or gain employment.

Factors predicting BCG immunization status in northern Nigeria: a behavioral-ecological perspective

This study examines the predictors of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunization status among infants in northern Nigeria using a behavioral-ecological model. The findings show only 37.3 percent of the children had received BCG vaccine, and reveal that BCG immunization status in northern Nigeria is influenced by multiple layers of factors, including child's characteristics, parental or household factors, community characteristics, vaccine supply and the policy environment. At the child's level, place of birth and ownership of an immunization card are the two most significant predictors. The parental and household predictors of BCG immunization status include maternal use of antenatal care, maternal knowledge about immunization, maternal exposure to child health information, social influence and paternal approval of immunization. Both the regularity of vaccine supply to the health facility and the state of residence are associated independently with BCG immunization status. These findings stress the need for interventions at multiple levels in order to increase BCG immunization status.

Households’ willingness to pay for a motorcycle helmet in Hanoi, Vietnam

Injuries caused by both non-use of and substandard helmets in motorcycle accidents place a substantial cost on both the Vietnamese government and on victims and their families who are unfortunate enough to experience such an event. To estimate Vietnamese households' willingness to pay (WTP) for a standard motorcycle helmet and to determine factors that affect the households' decision regarding the price at which they would purchase a motorcycle helmet. A contingent valuation survey was administered to 420 households in two urban districts and one suburban district of Hanoi from January 2007 to February 2007. Both discrete-choice format and open-ended questions were used to examine households' WTP for a motorcycle helmet. Descriptive analysis and multivariate analysis were used to estimate possible predictors of households' WTP. A total of 414 households agreed to participate in the study, giving a response rate of 98%. Eighty-seven percent of respondents owned a motorcycle helmet. Sixty-two percent of respondents agreed to purchase a helmet at the market price of Vietnamese Dong (VND)150 000 ($ US 9.38) [year 2007 values]. Households' WTP varied from VND81 635 to VND289 674 ($US 5.1-18.1), with a mean of VND163 794 ($US 10.24) and a median of VND161 718 ($US 10.11). It was estimated that if the government subsidizes VND61 043 ($US 3.82) for a helmet, 99% of the study population are willing to pay the additional cost for a standard helmet. Those households with a higher income and where the respondents were aged 40-55 years were more likely to purchase a helmet than those with a lower income and those of other ages. Respondents were prepared to pay a higher price than the market price of a standard helmet. To improve the quality of helmets in Vietnam, it is recommended that the government subsidize a helmet programme in conjunction with other programmes (such as education and strict enforcement policies) in order to increase the ownership of quality helmets in Vietnam and thereby reduce the severity of motorcycle road traffic injuries.

A cross-sectional study of factors associated with dog ownership in Tanzania.

BackgroundMass vaccination of owned domestic dogs is crucial for the control of rabies in sub-Saharan Africa. Knowledge of the proportion of households which own dogs, and of the factors associated with dog ownership, is important for the planning and implementation of rabies awareness and dog vaccination programmes, and for the promotion of responsible dog ownership. This paper reports the results of a cross-sectional study of dog ownership by households in urban and rural communities in the United Republic of Tanzania.ResultsFourteen percent (202) of 1,471 households surveyed were identified as dog-owning, with an average of 2.4 dogs per dog-owning household. The percentage of dog-owning households was highest in inland rural areas (24%) and lowest in coastal urban communities (7%). The overall human:dog ratio was 14:1. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that households which owned cattle, sheep or goats were much more likely to own dogs than households with no livestock. Muslim households were less likely to own dogs than Christian households, although this effect of religion was not seen among livestock-owning households. Households were more likely to own a dog if the head of the household was male; if they owned a cat; or if they owned poultry. Dog ownership was also broadly associated with larger, wealthier households.ConclusionThe human:dog ratios in Tanzania are similar to those reported elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa, although cultural and geographic variation is evident. Estimation of the number of owned dogs, and identification of household predictors of dog ownership, will enable targeted planning of rabies control efforts.

Recovering from Hurricane Mitch: Household and Place in Predicting Honduran Child Nutritional Status

Identifying nutrition problems after the emergency phase of a disaster has passed is a critical priority in humanitarian response. Population displacements following hurricane flooding can promote household food shortages that persist after direct effects of the natural hazard have waned. This article examines preexisting social vulnerability and reconstruction effects as critical factors for under-five child nutritional status, alongside proximal household and child predictors. The study focuses on post-hurricane reconstruction almost two years after Hurricane Mitch in Honduras, and compares shelters in the capital with the settlement of Ciudad Nueva, Choluteca. Results have implications for humanitarian assistance practices and policy.

Does consumer sentiment accurately forecast UK household consumption? Are there any comparisons to be made with the US?

This paper investigates how well survey data depicting consumer sentiment forecasts household’s consumption behavior for the UK. We consider whether consumer sentiment is able to predict the growth of household’s consumption, in addition to the growth of labor income. The empirical analysis finds that Consumer Confidence Indices (CCI) does predict the household’s consumption of durable goods. We also draw comparisons with recent analysis for the US. In addition, we analyze whether both the UK and US CCI are accurate and useful predictors of household’s consumption growth using directional analysis. We find that the UK confidence indicators predict better the US.

A tale of two continents: a multilevel comparison of the determinants of child nutritional status from selected African and Indian regions

This paper compares individual and household predictors of underweight among young children in sub-Saharan Africa and India, while also assessing the impact of clustering of weight for age z-scores at the household, community and regional levels. Multilevel statistical models are employed to compare the strength of the correlates of underweight (using weight-for-age z-scores) in six sub-Saharan African countries and four Indian states. The multilevel approach controls for correlation among children resulting from clustering within families, communities, or regions and in addition enables tests for differences in the regional, community and household effects for children from families of different socio-economic characteristics. Findings demonstrate the importance of individual and household level predictors such as age, the size of child at birth, prolonged breast-feeding, recent diarrhoea episodes, and maternal education as predictors of low weight-for-age z-scores across regions. Strong family effects are observed as well as significant community and regional random effects on variation in weight for age z-scores. In some regions, socio-economic characteristics of the household result in significant differences in the household or community level variance in weight for age z-scores, suggesting that the impact of the geographical context varies by socio-economic status of the household.

Social Adaptation Problems among Amerasian Refugees

In this paper we describe and explain a variety of problems experienced by Amerasian youths upon their resettlement in the United States. We examine a matrix of contextual, household and individual behavioral predictors of Amerasian youths' problems and we argue that, taken individually, existing theoretical frameworks do not adequately explain the Amerasian adaptation process. The most significant predictors of Amerasian youths' problems are an unstable home environment, gender (maleness), whether or not the mother reported mental and physical problems, and the type of assistance provider (mutual assistance association). We add to existing research on Amerasians' process of adaptation by incorporating a wider variety of youths' problems into the dependent variable, by including hitherto unavailable independent variables into the analysis, and by suggesting some immediate strategies and new policy initiatives aimed at helping resettlement agencies deal with this specialized immigrant population. In sum, we demonstrate that Amerasians' unofficially “mixed” immigration status – they are designated as immigrants who are treated as refugees but are simultaneously half-American – compounds theorists and policy makers' difficulties in dealing conceptually with this population.

Living with support in a home in the community: predictors of behavioral development and household and community activity.

The purpose of this article was to review studies of behavioral development and household and community activity among adults with mental retardation living in community residential services and to distill knowledge about the factors that influence outcome. Research points to behavioral development occurring across the full spectrum of disability but influenced by mental retardation syndrome and the acquisition of pivotal skills. However, engagement in household and community activities has been found to be strongly related to individual adaptive behavior. People with more severe mental retardation are vulnerable to leading lives characterized by underoccupation and lack of community involvement. Moving from institutional to community-based residential services may be accompanied by significant increases in adaptive behavior, but a plateau effect on subsequent development has also been reported. There is substantial evidence to suggest that key aspects of effective teaching technology may be absent in community-based residential environments. Community settings support greater engagement in household and community activities than institutions. Ordinary housing stock and normative architecture and standards of material enrichment are to be preferred. The use of normative housing constrains group living to relatively small scale, but there is little evidence that smaller size within this range is to be preferred to larger size. There is little evidence to suggest that higher staff-to-resident ratios lead to uniformly better outcomes, but staff orientation, working methods, and performance are important influences. Little is known about what precise characteristics of community location give rise to greater community integration. MRDD Research Reviews 7:75-83, 2001.

Occupant Predictors of Household Energy Behavior and Consumption Change as Found in Energy Studies Since 1975

Reported research since 1975 on human behavior and energy consumption was reviewed to identify occupant predictors of household energy‐consumption behavior and energy‐consumption change. The results of this review were framed against a human ecosystem theory model. Occupant predictors of reduced energy‐consumption behavior and energy‐consumption change were classified as occupant characteristics, occupant attitudes, and occupant actions. Variables identified in studies that most frequently affected energy behavior and energy consumption were income, age, education, home ownership, desire for comfort, major weatherization, and incentives. These findings support the underlying premise of the human ecosystem theory: Variables from the natural, the social, and the designed environments and human organism variables interact to affect energy consumption.

Which components of adult stimulation drive young infants' social responses?

This study presents a biographical approach to modeling households’ vehicle ownership states and vehicle type choice, using data from a retrospective survey. Over a lifetime, households purchase their first vehicle by terminating no-car ownership state, and subsequently re-evaluate their decision of changing fleet size by multiple vehicle transactions that cause termination of transient vehicle ownership states. This study evaluates determinants of the termination probability of households’ no-car ownership state and transient vehicle ownership states by exclusively examining the effects of life-cycle events and long-term life-stage transitions using a random parameter accelerated hazard-based modeling framework. It also investigates vehicle type choice of first-time and transient vehicle owners using a random parameter logit modeling technique. Vehicle attributes, life-cycle events and life-stage transitions are found to be strong predictors of both type households’ vehicle choices. Results of this study will assist policy makers to develop longer-term policy interventions required to support sustainable transportation systems.

Smoke alarm use: prevalence and household predictors.

To determine the prevalence of smoke alarm use among families with children and to identify household factors that predict the absence of a smoke alarm. Cross sectional analysis of data collected in the September and November 1995 Omnibus Survey, conducted by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in the UK. A random sample of British households. Interviews were completed with 4,043 householders. The response rate was 78%. 29% of British households do not have a smoke alarm and smoke alarms were absent in 20% of households with children under 15 years. A smoke alarm was absent in 41% of privately rented homes compared with 17% of owner occupied homes. Living in private rental accommodation was the strongest household predictor of the absence of a smoke alarm (odds ratio = 3.25, 95% confidence interval 1.94 to 5.42). Householders who had heard of National Fire Safety Week or the TV smoke alarm advertising campaign were significantly more likely to have a smoke alarm. The apparent effect of these campaigns was greatest in families with children. Smoke alarm use has continued to increase but a substantial proportion of British homes still do not have smoke alarms. Homes at greatest risk of residential fire are the least likely to have an alarm. Health professionals may be able to increase smoke alarm use among families with children, by counselling families about the benefits of smoke alarms. They may also be effective in this regard by lobbying local councils, houseing associations, or private landlords to install alarms in all properties and by advocating for national legislation.

Predictors of Energy Use by Households in a Rural Area of the Philippines

Fuel use by households in a rural region of Leyte Province, the Philippines, was examined to determine types used and factors related to type and total quantity. A model was developed to identify predictors of household fuel use. Data were drawn from interviews with 150 female heads of households from 10 rural villages. Multiple regression was used in the analysis. The total quantity of energy used per week was negatively related to the number of cookstoves and nonelectric items of equipment owned and positively related to the distance traveled each week to obtain fuels.